Folding hood for vehicles



FOLDING HOOD FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l A M6/Q,

C. G. HIGGINS Juy 4, 1933.

FOLDING HOOD FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HTTRNY' Juy 4%, E933. 'c e. HIGGINS FOLDING HOOD FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 7, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 HTTR NE V CII Patented July 4, 193.3

l ineen naar erase rettet `GI-llilfS GAUNTLETT HIGGNS, F LONDON, ENGLAND .nonninaiieon non ventenne y application filed February 7, i936, Serial -i'o. 4556,69L`and in Great Britain February 25, 1929.

This invention relates to folding hoods for Vautomobiles and other vehicles and has for its object toprovide an improved construction which enables a vehicle readily to be converted 'from an open or touring vehicle to a closed or saloon vehicle. 4

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding hood which comprises rigid panels and side flaps hinged about two lines at right an gles and so mounted thatwhen collapsed they can be lowered to a position between the drivers and rear seat.

"With these and other objects in view, the invention consistsA in the improved arrangements and combinations Vembodied in; the

AIVform of hood hereinafter described in detail,

the novel features of which are set out in the claims which follow. y

The complete hood is provided by a folding member as above and a similarly hinged Jfolding member which provides the rear portion of the top, the back and side flaps that when collapsed can be lowered to a position between the rear seat. Y g v y T o complete the conversion of the vehicle 'from an open or touring forni to a closed or saloon vehicle, hinged window `trames and guide members vare provided which are normally folded down so as not to project above the line of the main body.

rlllie hinged hood members are preferably carried by strips which are carried on vertical rods capable of being raised to bring the collapsed member to such height that it can be opened out.

In the accompanying lustrate the invention in a mann-er Y A Y Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal crosssection through a vehicle body showing the hood in collapsed form in Yl'ull lines and in exten ded form in dotted lines. Y

Fig; 2 represents a plan view with the parts in the position which they occupy when the vehicle is in open form.

Fig 3 represents a cross-section through i the lines 3%3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. a represents to larger scale the central folding hood portion shown in Fig. 1.

The hood consists oi two main portions A,

drawings which ildiagrammatic B which when folded or collapsed are housed respectively in a hollow partition C near the centre ot the vehicle and a hollow compartnient D in the rear.

1 vv'lhe portion A is built in two parts and comprises a number oi panels'or VHaps hingedA vertically and horizontally when in the collapsed position, giving roof panels a, b, and side flaps C of the front and central part of the hood; the'portioii B comprises panels'or flaps similarly hinged giving the rear top part al of the hood, and the back part e and sides f.

The iapsa are hinged to top strips It which are carried by vertical guide rods g which are capable of being raised. The rear portion B is similarly carried by Strips which vpass over vertical guide rods 7c.

In order to raise the central portion A and open rit out,

clear of the partition C. The iaps a are then turned about the horizontal hinges Z until the flaps a are horizontal and the flaps b are then turned about the hinges k'm until they are in horizontal extended form. Y The side l i liaps c which in the example illustrated are of trapezoidal form are next turned about tion shown in Fig. 4i

hicle. y

The rear portion B opens similarly.

The closed vehicle iscompleted bythe Awindow frames E which are pivoted about hinges F and normally lit within recesses J' in the solid lower part ot the body; these window frames have holes X which, when the window. is in raised position, register with vertically movable rods L by means of which the frames are loelredin vertical posin tion.

' These windscreen member M central hinged member G which normally has the position shown in Fig. S, but which can vbe moved about a horizontal hinge and is maintained `in vertical position by movable vertical guides N.`

window frames are guided by the s the two parts are lifted by the vertical guide rods until the flaps are and by means of a z.;

` Similarly hinged rear guides by rods P.

I claim:

l. A folding cover for a vehicle comprising side Window frames carried by said vehicle, rigid roof panels carried by said vehicle and hingedly connected together on lines transversely of the vehicle, and side flaps hinged to each of said panels on lines longitudinally of the vehicle, said side flaps being' adapted to connect said panels and said side Window frames.

2. A folding cover for a vehicle comprising side panels carried by said vehicle, rigid roof panels carried by said vehicle and hingedly connected together on lines transversely of the vehicle, and side iaps hinged tol each of said roof panels on lines longitudinally of the vehicle, said side flaps being adapted to connect said roof panels and said side'panels.

3. A folding cover fora vehicle comprising side panels carried by said vehicle, mem- O are held in vertical position bers slidable vertically of said vehicle, rigid roof panels hinged to said sliding members on lines transversely of the vehicle, side flaps hinged to said roof panels on lines longitudinally of the vehicle and adapted when unfolded to connect each of said roof panels and said side panels, and a recess in the vehicle for the reception, when folded, of said roof panels and said side flaps.

4. A folding hood structure for a vehicle for use in converting an open vehicle into a closed vehicle comprising a vertical rod carried by the vehicle, two rectangular panels hinged for movement on lines transverse the vehicle with respect to said rod, additional rectangular panels hinged on lines transverse the vehicle to the first mentioned panels, and a trapezoidal flap hingedly connected to each side of each panel on lines longitudinally of the vehicle, said flaps When in extended position combining With the panels to form a` complete roof structure.

5. A folding hood for vehicles including tWo panels, each hinged at one transverse edge, a vertical rod on which the hinged connection of the panels is mounted, a second panel hinged on lines transverse the vehicle and to that edge of each first mentioned panel remote from the hinged connection of said first mentioned panel, and flaps hingedly connected to the panels on lines extending longitudinally of the vehicle at right angles to the hinged connections between the panels, said panels and flaps being movable through the vertical rod from a lowered to an elevated `position and together when opened out constituting a `complete roof for the vehicle.

In testimon whereof I aflix 1n sirnature. 1^

CHARLES GAUNTLETT HIGGINS. 

